>[It's been inspiring and moving to see the size and passion of the world's protests against war today. I'd like to mark the occasion by posting the lyrics of a remarkable song I heard today for the first time, Seize the Day's "United States." Audio at http://www.seizetheday.org/UnitedStates.htm
A great song, thanks.
I don't know what's happening over there, but something unusual is happening in this far corner of the world. According to news reports about 10,000 people turned out to the anti-war march in Hobart yesterday. At our rally in conservative Launceston the organisers seemed a bit awed by the huge crowd of maybe 2,000. The cops had refused a permit for a street march, but we marched anyhow and the police did their best to control traffic, even though they were terribly short-staffed. We didn't have any big name speakers, though we were treated to a very good speech by the great-grandson of the late Alex Campbell, the last surviving veteran of the Gallipoli landing. Most of the crowd had never attended a political demonstration in their lives before of course and from talking to people before and since the march it is clear that there are many times that number who might easily be persuaded to join the next march.
There's another series of marches today in Sydney, Brisbane and of course many many smaller centres that no-one will ever hear about. The opposition to this war is a lot stronger than the opposition to the Vietnam war. There has been a dramatic change of consciousness since the 60's and 70's. War seems to be becoming publicly unacceptable as a means of achieving political objectives.
Bill Bartlett Bracknell Tas